


Fish or Cut Bait

by Toasted42



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pre-Relationship, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-23 01:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30047703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toasted42/pseuds/Toasted42
Summary: Gibbs and Sloane share an inside joke. It's a total fluff piece but I needed something like that after these last couple of episodes.
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Comments: 4
Kudos: 77





	Fish or Cut Bait

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt, so please go easy on me! I welcome constructive criticism though. 
> 
> Also, I don't own these characters but god help my husband if they'd like to lend me Gibbs. ;)

They’d been working the same case for a week – trying to bring down a prescription drug ring that had formed on a Marine base. Not for lack of evidence, they just had to find that one piece to nail the ringleader. Long hours had been dedicated to the case. Because of this, Sloane found herself waking up on Gibbs’ couch for the second morning in a row. She smiled to herself as she realized he must have covered her with a blanket sometime after she fell asleep.

As she sleepily made her way to the kitchen, she was greeted with a fresh cup of coffee placed next to a brand-new bag of sugar.

“Thanks for getting more sugar.” She smiled at Gibbs who was leaned against the counter.

“Never seen someone use so much,” he smirked. After 2 years, he’d learned to keep extra around, even if he didn’t understand how someone could ruin a good cup of coffee that way. “Put some extra towels up in the bathroom upstairs for you, in case you wanted to shower before we head in to the office.”

“You saying I smell, Cowboy?”

Gibbs just laughed and smiled, shrugging his shoulders. Normally he’d have come back with a smart comment but he was exhausted from working on this case. They were so close to a break.

Jack headed upstairs to shower, thankful she’d packed some toiletries and more than one fresh change of work clothes in her go bag. They were all exhausted but she was pretty sure there’d still be questions if she showed up in the same clothes she’d worn yesterday.

As Jack stood under the shower, she let herself meditate for a moment. Music played loudly on her phone that she’d rested carefully on the high window sill of the shower stall. She let the warm water ease her tense shoulders, realizing how exhausted she still felt. Hoping to wake her body up a little with some stretching, she propped one leg up onto the wood bench in Gibb’s shower. As soon as she did, the bench tipped toward her, making a loud _THUD_ as it hit the tile floor of the shower.

Hearing the thud from his bedroom, Gibbs hollered, “You alright in there, Jack?”

Unable to hear Gibbs over her music, she hopped back from the fallen bench and laughed. “That woke me up,” she thought as she righted the bench and replaced the soap and shampoo that had fallen.

Gibbs was slightly concerned he’d gotten no response. His protective instincts overriding any hesitation that came with her being naked on the other side, he opened the bathroom door and repeated his question, “You alright, Jack?” As he stood at the doorway and admired the slim silhouette of the beautiful woman on the other side of the steamy shower glass, he realized what he’d just done. Not that he didn’t enjoy what he was seeing but he hadn’t exactly been invited in there.

Sloane, only slightly startled by the handsome Marine who’d just barged into the bathroom, responded, “I’m fine! But your bench needs some work—I expected better from a master craftsman.”

Gibbs laughed at her lighthearted dig. He’d forgotten to warn her that he still needed to even out the legs on that thing. “Work in progress,” he grinned.

Sloan poked her head of the shower door, very aware that he was studying her body, “Did you want to join me?” she asked part playfully, part sarcastically. I mean, if he was going to continue to stand there…

"Jack…” Gibbs replied quietly as he stood, unmoving. His gentlemanly duty to retreat -- or at the very least, avert his eyes -- was conflicted with his desire to keep watching, appreciating how perfect she looked in that moment.

“Well, I figured I’d offer if you were just going to keep standing there.” Taking full advantage of his unwavering stare, she looked at him at gave a playful smile, “Fish or cut bait, Marine.”

Without waiting for his reply, she tucked her head back in the shower to finish rinsing off. In that moment, Jack found herself a little embarrassed for being so blunt but she couldn’t help it. She knew what--who-- she wanted, and she was tired of hiding it. She was pretty sure the feeling was mutual, although trying to read the thoughts and feelings of Leroy Jethro Gibbs certainly put her years of professional training to the test.

Gibbs couldn’t help but smile as he ducked quickly back out of the bathroom, leaving her to shower in peace. It took every ounce of his Marine discipline not to join her in that shower. But he couldn’t let either of them get distracted from this case—not when they were so close to making a break. He cursed himself a little for his decision, after all she couldn’t have been any more blatant about her desire for him. He thought back to the day he’d met Jack--who knew he would have fallen so hard for this woman? Yet he couldn’t quite bring himself to tell her how he felt, that he was in love with her. He was too afraid of losing her, too afraid of her getting hurt.

Fresh cups of coffee in hand, they opted to ride together in his truck. More time to discuss their suspect, they’d each mentally justified their decision.

The fact that they were the last to arrive, and together no less, didn’t raise eyebrows with the rest of the team anymore. Even if Jack and Gibbs couldn’t admit they were in love with each other, the rest of the team could see it. And, frankly, they were just thrilled to see Gibbs happy.

McGee gave a morning update on their progress so far that morning. Kasey had finished running some fingerprints and gotten the match they needed to tie their suspected ring leader to the drugs.

“Torres, with me. Let’s go bring this guy in,” Gibbs barked as he grabbed his gun out of his desk drawer.

\-----

After apprehending their suspect without incident (he was just arrogant enough to come willingly, overly-confident they had nothing on him), they brought him to interrogation. It took several hours but the suspect eventually cracked enough to confirm that they’d arrested their guy. He even slipped and gave the name of one of their major suppliers.

As the team gathered in the bullpen, the stress of the past week lifted from their shoulders and they began to talk about the weekend. Gibbs seemed a little distracted, he was still thinking about this morning. The man afraid of losing the woman he loved was slowly realizing he couldn’t lose what didn’t have, and needed to tell her how much she meant to him.

It was around 8pm at this point, and they all were about to head out for well-deserved down time. Torres turned Bishop and McGee, “Want to grab some drinks? Come on, it’s Friday night—we’ve earned it!” He turned to Gibbs & Sloane, “Jack? Gibbs?”

Jack hesitated to answer as she took a sip of coffee. She could use a stiff drink but she was a little curious what Gibbs’ plans were for tonight. Gibbs hadn’t been the only one still thinking about this morning.

“Can’t tonight, Torres.” Gibbs replied.

“Got a hot date, Gibbs?” Bishop teased.

Gibbs shrugged and replied, “Was thinking I might go fishing.”

Jack almost choked on her coffee as she saw the corner of Gibb’s mouth turn upward into a half-smile.

“Tonight? Boss? It’s 8pm.” McGee said, questioning his boss’s reply. “Is night fishing a thing?”

Regaining her composure, Jack said, “I don’t know McGee, I think night fishing is a great idea. In fact, I bet he’ll have a lot of luck.” She locked eyes with Gibbs as she finished her sentence.The fiery look Gibbs returned to Jack was so quick, the only person who caught it was Bishop. Although still a little confused about the pair’s apparent inside joke, Bishop could clearly see where it was leading and she wasn’t going to let anyone get in the way of it.

“McGee, Torres, we getting that drink or not?” Bishop said, grabbing her bag. “First rounds’ on you, Nick!” She continued before Torres had a chance to protest, “Gibbs, Jack, see you Monday!” The three headed out, Torres beginning his protest about having paid last time and McGee Googling ‘night fishing’ on his phone, leaving Jack and Gibbs alone in the bullpen.

Not ready to drop the joke just yet, Gibbs closer to Jack and planted a light kiss near her ear. In low voice he said “You know there’s only one fish I want to catch, right?” By keeping the phrase related their little inside joke, it was somehow easier for him express his feelings for her. In this moment, Jack was just fine with that—at least he was sharing feelings, even if they were thinly veiled in a fishing analogy. So okay with it, in fact, that she let his comparing her to a fish, albeit a desirable one, go without comment.

“I know.” She kept her reply simple. There was something about this moment, his vulnerability as he looked at her that she knew he was sincere. They had plenty of time to talk later, right now she was going to make the most of this evening.

Stepping onto the elevator, Jack turned to Gibbs and gave a wry smile, “So, you any good at fishing?” 

Gibbs laughed as he raised an eyebrow, his eyes softened as they met her gaze. He pulled her into his arms, resting his hands in the small of her back. “You tell me,” he smirked as he brushed his lips over hers.

She met his lips with hers, wrapping her arms around him under his coat and melting into his embrace.


End file.
